The TBA Administrative Law Section has announced its Third Annual Writing Competition for Law Students. All students enrolled in a Tennessee law school during the 2021–2022 school year are eligible to enter. Submissions are now due April 25. The section offers this yearly competition to promote an interest in and understanding of both state and federal administrative law. The winning submission will be published in the Administrative Law Section newsletter and the winner will be awarded $1,000. Get more information and rules for the competition.

The TBA Young Lawyers Division will host an expungement clinic on Feb. 23 in partnership with Belmont University College of Law and the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. The event, which will begin at 4 p.m. CST, will take place in Murfreesboro at Doors of Hope, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and other reentry help to women released from incarceration. Volunteer attorneys and law students are needed to assist clients complete expungement paperwork. No prior experience is required. Organizers will provide a training video in advance of the clinic. To volunteer, contact YLD Pro Bono Coordinator Alix Rogers, 615-460-8250.

Knoxville lawyer Karmen Latrice Waters died Jan. 5 after struggling for several months with a sudden medical condition. She was 50 years old. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, she earned her law degree from the New England School of Law in Boston. She started her practice in 2004 and focused mainly on criminal defense. Later in her career, Waters transitioned to immigration law, founding the International Immigration Solutions Law Group with offices in Knoxville, Atlanta and Miami. Waters also served as a magistrate judge on the Knox County General Sessions Court. A service for family will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. EST at the West End Church of Christ, 8301 Walker Springs Ln., Knoxville, TN 37923. Memorial donations may be made "In Memory of Karmen Latrice Waters" to the church’s Hispanic ministry.

The American Bar Association kicks off its virtual Midyear Meeting on Feb. 9. Topics to be covered at legal programs include racial inequity, implicit bias, redistricting, land use and zoning and law enforcement-assisted diversion programs. The ABA House of Delegates also will meet online Feb. 14. It’s agenda is available here. Finally, the association will recognize five legal professionals with its 2022 Spirit of Excellence Award for commitment to racial and ethnic diversity in the profession. Among those being honored is Carlos E. Moore with the Ridgeland, Mississippi, office of The Cochran Firm, which also has offices in Memphis and Nashville.

The Tennessee Supreme Court today announced the retirement of Judy Bond-McKissack as executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. Bond-McKissack has served in the role since January 2011. She previously worked as a Board of Review hearing officer with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, as chief legal counsel in the Secretary of State’s office, and as managing attorney for the Clarksville office of Legal Services of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. She earned her law degree from Vanderbilt University. During her time with the commission, Bond-McKissack supervised an office move from the TBA building in downtown Nashville to space near the airport, managed development of a new website, oversaw an extensive revision of Supreme Court Rule 21, pushed for awarding lawyers CLE credit for pro bono representation, implemented a mentoring program, and developed a training program for CLE speakers. 

The state legislature’s Join Study Committee on Refugee Issues has approved a final report, Chattanoogan.com reports. During four meetings held between June and November of 2021, the committee heard from a range of individuals and organizations concerned about the federal government’s immigration program in the state, with a focus on the transfer of unaccompanied and undocumented children. The report recommends that the state suspend all license holders involved with the placement of migrant children “due to the complete lack of any follow-up to guarantee any of these children are not being used for illegal sex trafficking purposes.” It also calls for new legislation to give the state Department of Children’s Services oversight and control of any migrant children who arrive in the state. Read the full report.

Rutherford County Commissioner Robert Stevens has announced his candidacy in the Republican primary for the new 13th district of the Tennessee House of Representatives, the Murfreesboro Post reports. The county will gain a fifth seat in the House as a result of redistricting. The new district includes portions of Blackman, Eagleville, Rockvale, LaVergne and Smyrna. Stevens earned his law degree from the University of Memphis Law School and has owned and operated a law practice in the county since 2009. He is the current president of the Smyrna Rotary Club and a graduate of Leadership Rutherford.

Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk's office has been named to handle the prosecution of a shooting case in Soddy Daisy after local district attorney Neal Pinkston recused himself based on the advice of the Board of Professional Responsibility. Pinkston asked the board if he had a conflict given that he has accused his political opponent Coty Wamp of obstruction of justice and witness tampering in the case. The board replied there could be a conflict. Wamp, who is legal counsel in the sheriff's office, has alleged that the wrong man was arrested in the case. Soddy Daisy Judge Marty Lasley has now signed an order appointing Funk's office as the district attorney pro temp, Chattanoogan.com reports. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation also is reportedly getting an outside district attorney involved to investigate Pinkston’s accusations against Wamp, who is challenging Pinkston in the May 3 Republican primary. The Times Free Press has more on that story.

State Rep. Brandon Ogles, R-Franklin, says he will be drafting legislation that could change the subpoena power of state agencies, Tennessee Lookout reports. The announcement comes a few days after he threatened a “deep dive” into the Registry of Election Finance’s subpoena power over recent subpoenas issued. He now says he wants to look at subpoena authority across all state boards to make sure they are “transparent.” More specifically, Ogles said this week that he would like to see requirements for a judge’s signature on subpoenas in addition to invitations to appear before panels voluntarily before subpoenas are issued. Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Executive Director Bill Young confirmed this week the Registry has the power to subpoena witnesses, conduct audits, hold hearings and take other actions, based on state law.

This week’s episode of Legislative Updates with TBA Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley features a preview of Gov. Bill Lee’s State of the State address, a discussion on budget and another update on where several TBA-sponsored bills currently stand. Do you have a personal story about a financial hardship preventing you from comfortably paying the Professional Privilege Tax? Send our public policy team an email. Legislative Updates airs every Thursday on the TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.